PatternReview.com online sewing community
Join our community of 579,279 sewists!
SIGNUP Membership is free and includes 1 free lesson
Login |
Join our community of 579,279 sewists!
Signup | Login
To participate in the PatternReview.com forums please Login or Join PatternReview
Member since 9/16/18
Posts: 4
Send Message
1 Replies
thumbsup 1 like
Posted on: 9/21/18 12:16 PM ET
Does anyone know the stitches per minute for the High Speed on a Singer Futura 900? My 42yrold machine is really starting to complain about sewing, and so I'm looking at newer machines. Some are called "regular" machines which sew 600-700 stitches/minute and some are called "Heavy Duty" which sew 1100-1400 stitches/minute. I'd like to know what my Futura 900 is considered so I can buy something comparable. Thank your your help.
-- Edited on 9/21/18 at 12:19 PM --
------
Kathy P
  
Founder
Member since 11/28/01
Posts: 16579
Body Type:
Send Message
thumbsup 1 like
Re: Topic moved (posted on 9/21/18 1:05 PM ET)
This topic has been moved from Contest Discussions to Sewing Machines
------
- Deepika
Founder, PatternReview.com
  
Member since 12/3/06
Posts: 10072
Send Message
Posted on: 9/21/18 1:11 PM ET
Test drive is the best way to find the machine that fits your need.
------
OLD CHINESE PROVERB: I HEAR & I FORGET; I SEE & I REMEMBER; I DO & I UNDERSTAND.
  
Member since 11/13/04
Posts: 15931
Send Message
1 Replies
Posted on: 9/21/18 2:21 PM ET
In reply to SewingForFamily
Quote: SewingForFamily
Does anyone know the stitches per minute for the High Speed on a Singer Futura 900? My 42yrold machine is really starting to complain about sewing, and so I'm looking at newer machines. Some are called "regular" machines which sew 600-700 stitches/minute and some are called "Heavy Duty" which sew 1100-1400 stitches/minute. I'd like to know what my Futura 900 is considered so I can buy something comparable. Thank your your help.

How I test sewing machine speed : Set the sewing machine to the largest straight stitch length.Sew a few inches on two layers of good quality scrap fabric and count how many stitches per inch.Write it down.

Take two layers,60" length x 6" wide,longer or wider good quality fabric,thread and a proper size new sewing machine needle. Leave the stitch setting at the longest stitch length.

Use a clock with a second hand next to your machine to time yourself for 1 minute.Sew at top speed for one minute.Count how many inches you have sewn.Write it down.

Then take your stitch-per-inch measurement and multiply that by the length of fabric you have sewn.This gives you the speed of your sewing machine,stitches per minute (SPM).

I cheated ! ! !.......
I knew my Pfaff 262-261 could sew very fast,at the time I didn't have a scrap piece of fabric long enough to sew on for 1 minute. Instead,I was sewing for exactly 10 seconds and multiplied the sewn inches by 6 first to get inches sewn per minute.

So this is what the math looks like the way I did it on my Pfaff 262-261 sewing machine...................
43" x 6 = 258" x 6 stitches = 1548 stitches per minute,(almost 1550 SPM).

And all my other older and newer sewing machines,including computerized sewing machines. I know my Pfaff serger can stitch 1300 SPM and my newer White serger can stitch 1600 SPM.

Or to show it another way....................
43" fabric (in 10 seconds) x 6 = 258" (inches in one minute) x 6 (stitches per 1") = 1548 SPM (stitches per minute) on my old Pfaff 262-261 sewing machine.
-- Edited on 9/22/18 at 1:05 AM --
  
Member since 5/2/09
Posts: 11280
Send Message
1 Replies
thumbsup 1 like
Posted on: 9/21/18 4:49 PM ET
It would probably depend on how long your stitches were even. No one ever mentions that. But yes, I think you could get more stitches in a minute on almost anything, just straight stitch, the smaller they were and the less your feed dogs were moving. Probably the most, feed dogs down, no thread in a machine, no fabric in a machine and stitch length at zero even. So I think stitches per minute is kind of an illusion. Also more stitches per minute on a clean machine than a dirty one, and less stitches per minute on anything that the belt was on too tight too.
-- Edited on 9/21/18 at 4:52 PM --
  
Member since 9/16/18
Posts: 4
Send Message
Posted on: 9/21/18 10:15 PM ET
In reply to TeeGee
TeeGee -- this sounds so smart. I thought of trying something similar. However, my machine is really not doing great right now. It ker-chunks and doesn't really want to sew. I probably should have been curious and done this speed test and calculation back in June when it was still working. But I wonder if someone who owns a Futura 900 would test it for me.... on High, 6 stitches per inch, for 10 seconds and then tell me how far they were able to stitch. I can do the math after that. A Futura 925 would work as well. The only difference of which I am aware, is that the 925 has a free arm. Anyone willing to help me out?
------
Kathy P
  
Member since 9/16/18
Posts: 4
Send Message
1 Replies
Posted on: 9/21/18 10:29 PM ET
In reply to beauturbo
Thank you Beauturbo. You make a few good points. But even with some inaccuracies a test of some sort would still reveal a generality of slow, medium, or fast speed. And I totally agree with you that a clean machine would run much better... mine probably does not qualify as clean. So this may be a factor in both its running and the stitch speed.
------
Kathy P
  
Member since 5/2/09
Posts: 11280
Send Message
thumbsup 2 likes
Posted on: 9/21/18 11:25 PM ET
In reply to SewingForFamily
I don't have one but have sewn on them. I think probably about the same as some Singer Athena, Singer 2000. Which is not slow at all and I think about like most machines. Stitches per minute was not the add hype back then, but that does not mean they ran any slower than anything else now most of the time, either at all. It probably depends on your 40 year old foot pedal too maybe. But, I do think a nice good running Singer Futura 900, Singer Athena ect. would sew more quiet and smooth and feel a lot better to sew on, and response wise, than some new $200 Singer Heavy duty machine. Try it and see what you think. But of course all those old ones, also cost so many more times what that newer one cost today, (and not even counting inflation at all) and so that's not a real good comparison anyways. The machine I think would feel and sound and run most like, (in a good way) to some Futura 900 one, (when those are working great) in just sort of feel to it or sound, now to just sew on, might be something like a Janome 6300, 6500, 6600, elna 7200, 7300, or 720, if you are just kind of trying to match up the sewing feel of it. Even though bobbin systems different and some other stuff different, I think those do have sort of the same kind of sewing feel to them. You know, kind of higher end electronic.
  
Member since 1/20/13
Posts: 489
Send Message
1 Replies
thumbsup 1 like
Posted on: 9/22/18 9:45 PM ET
Don’t do it! I have a Futura 2 model 920. I bought three modern machines and they don’t hold a candle to my 920. First, no bobbin winding in the machines, no speed basting, no slant needle, no gear driven machines. Get your machine serviced. It probably needs a new motor mount ($4.00 part), a good cleaning and lubrication. If you spend $75-$100 it is well worth it. I’ve since ditched the three other machines I bought and went back to my 920!
  
Member since 7/20/18
Posts: 140
Send Message
Posted on: 9/23/18 10:06 PM ET
In reply to LN54
Quote: Lanoll
Don’t do it! I have a Futura 2 model 920. I bought three modern machines and they don’t hold a candle to my 920. First, no bobbin winding in the machines, no speed basting, no slant needle, no gear driven machines. Get your machine serviced. It probably needs a new motor mount ($4.00 part), a good cleaning and lubrication. If you spend $75-$100 it is well worth it. I’ve since ditched the three other machines I bought and went back to my 920!

I agree! I have given away to family a rare model Featherweight 221, a Singer 431G and numerous other "desirable" vintage machines in favor of my Futura and Athena machines. When they're cared for, they are much more pleasurable to use. The other machines leave me pulling my hair out, including the expensive new computerized models I tried at a local dealer.
  
* Advertising and soliciting is strictly prohibited on PatternReview.com. If you find a post which is not in agreement with our Terms and Conditions, please click on the Report Post button to report it.
Selected Reviews, Classes & Patterns
Discovery Fabrics
High Performance Fabrics
Specials!
Fancy Frocks Fabrics
Fine Designer Fabrics
Elliott Berman Textiles
High-end Fashion Fabrics
Specials!